Because Josiah and his mother lived with an Anderson County deputy and a department-issued weapon was used in the shooting, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is taking the lead in investigating the case. The investigation remains open, SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson said Thursday.

The deputy, whose name has not been disclosed, is taking some personal time away from work to grieve, according to sheriff's spokesman Chad McBride.

McCown said the deputy got off work Tuesday, came home to an empty place at Colony Mobile Home Park, took off his gun and left to run errands.

While he was out, Josiah and his mother, the deputy's girlfriend, came home.

Josiah found the deputy's .38-caliber handgun on a table in a bedroom.

"His mother lost sight of him for just a few minutes," McCown said. "When she found him in the bedroom, he was holding the gun in his hand. He grew up around guns and was fascinated with them. Before she could get to him, he pulled the trigger."

Thompson said her family is focused on supporting one another, not focused on harboring ill will.

"There is no place for anger here," Thompson said. "Josiah would not have wanted that."

The family is hoping to have a funeral for Josiah on Monday. Thompson said they don't have the means to pay for the service and have set up a fund at Wells Fargo bank so people can make donations.

Since Josiah's death, Upstate resident Jack Logan has spent two days at Colony Mobile Home Park handing out free gun locks. He planned to give away at least 120 of them.

Logan is a member of an Upstate group called Put Down the Guns Now, Young People.

"I don't live in Anderson, but when I heard about this, I knew I couldn't sit still," Logan said. "I'm tired of this happening to our children. I am not blaming anyone. ... I just wish we never had to hear another story about something that could be prevented."

Thompson said she never expected to have to make funeral arrangements for her 2-year-old grandson.

"Part of me expects him to run in and say, 'Nana, I've missed you,'" she said.

"He was just such a special and strong and smart little boy," Thompson said. "Everybody says that about children in their family, but Josiah really was a special boy. He had an intuition about him that went beyond that of a 2-year-old boy. At 2 years old, he could pray the plainest prayer you've ever heard. I have always called him an old soul. He was here a short while, but I believe he came to bring us joy."